Bolton House

1916 Green Berry Road

Built in 1831 on a large tract of land homesteaded by William and Lewis Bolton, this is widely regarded as the first brick home in Jefferson City. The brick came from Kentucky and the house, originally two rooms upstairs and two down, was built by slaves. The house and much of the property were bought in 1865 by Green C. Berry and remained in the Berry family until 1939 when it was sold to George and Leota Payne. The home and approximately five acres were sold to Dr. and Mrs. Marshall W. Kelly in 1947.

The house is located near what was once called Bolton Spring (later Green Berry Spring), for many years a favorite picnic site near the Moreau River.

Legend has it that General Sterling Price spent the night of October 6, 1864 in this house, but the record is unclear. It is recorded, however, that his army crossed the Moreau River-officially called "a small stream with muddy banks and bad bottom, four or five miles east of the city"-in an area generally southeast of the house in a large area either side of the bridge at the end of Green Berry Road. Casualties were suffered by both sides at the crossing and the Confederates buried their dead along the river and then camped in the vicinity of the Bolton house. The deed to this property mentions damage done to the area by numerous military men around. It seems reasonable to believe that General Price did visit the home of this prominent Jefferson City physician and native Virginian. Perhaps he even spent the night there.